Obstetrical forceps



March 19, 1935. J. MANN l 1,994,585

OBSTETRICAL FORGEPS Filed Sept. 17, 1932 sateiiftecilV Mar. 19, 1935 llaman sjrn'riazs! PATENT OFFICE 1,994,535 j oBs'rErmoAL FoRoErs John Mann, Toronto, Ontario, Canada f Application september 17, 1932, serial No. $373,553'

14 claims. t (c1. esfsza) Y The principal objects of this invention are to minimize the dangers to both mother and child in the use of forceps in the act of obstetrication 1 `and to provide an instrument which will enable j the obstetrician to adjust the blades at various angles and spacing to obtain a grip which will not injure thev child, and which will enablethe application of the required force Ywithoutinjury to the mother.

V'I'he principal features ofthe invention consist in the novel construction of the forceps whereby the blades are pivotally mounted with a universal n connection,vonV a separable pair of shank or handle members and said blades are capable of lateral 'adjustment in relation to the shank portions to eiect a varied spacing therebetween to tthe head of the-infant in accordance 'with'its size and which will be locked securely in the assumed spacing. e*

' A further and important feature consist in the novel construction of the swivel support of the blades whereby they may be readily separated to facilitate their placement and whereby the swivel members are temporarily locked against swivel movement during the placement operation and released from the locking means to operate on a universal joint when the-separated blades and shank members are interlocked.

In the accompanying drawing Figure lis a perspective view of the assembled instrument. Figure 2 is a perspective View of one of 'th sections as used in the placement operation. e

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal mid-sectional view showing thev swivel connection and Vthe means for locking same.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the swivel connection. Figure 5 is a side elevational View of the swivel connection. Y

Figure 6 is a sectional detail of the swivel connection'assembled showing the means of adjustment ofthe blades. l I Figure V7 is a sectional detail of the swivel connectionshowing the separable sectionsv apart.

Figure 8 is a perspectivedetailof a portion of one of the adjustable blades separated from the swivel head. 1 i

In the practice of obstetrics itis necessary `at Vtimes to use forceps to aid deliveryvand theordinary instrument is formed of two rigid members madeseparable toenable the placement of the blades on either side of the head of the child,

A thereto frequently results in serious injury tothe Amother and possibly to the child.

1n the present device the shank member is capable of considerable pivotal movement in relation tothe'blades and the manipulationV of the 4instrument inthe hands of the skilled obstetrician enables afconsiderable range of movement in applying the necessary force toreifect delivery, consequently'injury of the mother is'avoided. l As shown in the accompanying drawing, the 'handle member is formed of a pair of shanks 1 which are adapted to nt snugly side byside and 'are provided with o'set portions 2 which overlap.

The ends 3 of each of the oifset portions 2 of the` Shanks are curved in substantiallysemi-circular formand each is provided with a longitudinal slot 4 extending therethrough, the upper portion 5 of said slot being bevelled.

' `The inner surface 6 of each of the curved ends 3 is formed part spherical in cross section to receive the semiespherical head 7 which is secured therein by a `counte'rsunk headed' screw 8 which is capable of movement longitudinally ofY theslot in the curved end. A universal joint is thus formed in which the pair of members 7 rotate freely in the direction of the slots 4 in the ends of the members 2 and pivot on the screws 8V in a plane transverse to the plane ofrrotation.

The .head members 7 are each provided with a boss 9 which projectsl half of its depth beyond the flat face 10 of thehemi-spherical portionland al squared orice 11 extends longitudinally through the boss, and a half portion thereof continues in the form of a slot 12 across the head.

These two members when fitted together form ja spherical head with a squared orice extending :completely therethrough. Slots 13 are formed lengthwise of the bosses 9.

The forcep blades are formed of Vcurved loops 14 having squared shank ends 15 which t into the squared orifices 11, and pins 16 secured in these shank ends extend intothe slots 13and thus secure the blades in the head members but permit a limited sliding movement.' The shank ends 15 are cut away so that they overlap'each other within the squared orifice of the head when assembled and the meeting faces are provided ywith.interlocking*teeth 17. It will be understood lthat when the handle shank members 1 are sepjaratedtheshank ends 15 of the forcep blades may lslide freely in their respective heads and when the'handle members lare brought together as illustrated inv Figure v1, the toothed shank members will engage as illustrated in Figure' and the blades Awill 'then be rigidly held from laterahdisplacement"relative to each other.

Y Each `of the handle Shanks lis provided with Y securely in position.

The half members of the forceps when assembled as shown in Figure 2, are quite rigid and the obstetrician may manipula'tetheA blade into position. When both blades are positionedv the handle shanks are brought'togethe'r 'into their interlocking position", one oi'the shanks having a hole 23 therein to receive a dowel pin on j the other. As the separate elements of the forcep Vare thus brought together the teeth 17 engage in accordance with theirpositioning byv the'operator'and they then become securely'lockedf' Upon the bringing of the handle shanks together the` handle. member 24 lwhich isp'rovided with'a head- 25 having' a squared orifice, is placed over the Shanksl and secur'edin position by a thumb screw 26. f' v`'I'he'handl'e 24 is provided with avT-head 27 to be grasped in the Ahand of theobstetrician.VV H When the instrument has been placedin position and the handle secured thereon the lockrods 20'arev released and Withdrawn thereby releasing thespherical head'of the blade section and' permitting the handle Shanks to swivel onl their universal' connection. The arrangement of vthe hand1e l24 at right angles 'to' the'l Vshank members 1 permits of the manipulation of the instrument so that While the directionof the for'ceapplied is in proper alignment, thel handle shanks will be raised to'any desired angle to avoid injury to the patient.

The* device herein 'described is eiitremely vsimpleand of such construction that it can be readily separated for cleaning and sterilizingY Vand by 'reason of its flexibility, it will'enable ther 0perator to apply his skill with the vassurance Vof avoiding many conditions which with the'instruments hitherto used are unavoidable.

` Avery important Afactor in this construction isA the universal joint connection between the blades and the operating shank which permits manipulation of the shank at any angle in relation to the blades, and through the-contact of the screws 8 inthe slots 4 rotative force maybe applied to the blades to correct the position of the childs head as well as' tractive force toassist delivery. Eurther, this universal, joint enables forcep' blades with cephalic ycurves being applied in an inverted position permitting application to a head located in a posterior. position.-

Whatl vclaim as my'invention is:- I 1.' An obstetical forceps having blades mounted Vdisposed in the longitudinaldirectionof the handle, a heini-spherical head rotatably mountedin each of said curved ends, a headed screw secured in each of`saidheads and slidably engaging said slot, means for locking said" head'fronr` rotation, 2111,91 a, glade mhuhigsoheahoi: Said nemend i,994,585 1 1 'I a hole 18 extending through the base of the slidably adjustable in a direction transversely of said slot.

3. In an obstetrical forceps the combination with a pair of separable handle members, each having a curved end of semi-circular form, a

hemi-spherical head rotatably secured in each of said curved ends, each head having a blade extending therefrom, said curved ends each having a hole therethrough and each head having a hole to register with the hole `inthe vcurved end,` of a resilient rod slidably inserted through the hole inthe curved end and the hole inthe headto lock the members together, and means for locking said Y yro'ds to the handle under tension to prevent acci- `dental'.eidgraction of the rods from locking posi- An obstetrical forceps comprising a pair o! separable "handle members, a head pivotallylY mounted on each of said handle members, a blade having: a""shank non-rotatably and slidably mounted in each-of said heads, and means for movement.

separableI handle membelS, Va head .pivotvally 'rinbuhieil Onah Qf Seid'hehdle members. @tiene having a shank Ynon-rotatably slidably iOulfd'm 'each Of 'Seid heads, Said blade Shanks ,A fitting vtogether and each having interlocking 7 Sliding innemen.

teeth adapted to secure the shanks 4fromrelative separable 'handle memhersgagh having a curved @11d 0f, 'Semi-Circular form 2.. hemrsphercal head rotatably 'muhid in. each .Qeid Curved .ends

@ed 'hai/ing. an Qet boss, said boss having a Squared 1191.@ therethrough, blades eachhavms a Squared Shahk sldabl@ @he in. each of s aid heads,

saidsh'anks having reduced end kportion, formed With nteflkllg 111291221, and. .mefws for securing saidfhandle Shanks and said heads and toothedv common plane of said blades.Y

8. An obstetrical-forceps comprisinga sbullrical allel sliding adjustment in said head, meansfor locking said blades in spaced adjustments, and a shank embracing said head and, freely rotatable thereon in a plane transverse to the planeY of the sliding support ofrsaidfblades. E i

head, a pair of cephalicbladesmounted formar:

9. An` obstetrical forceps comprising'aipairof cephalic blades each having in turned shank ends Y adapted to interlock in several positionsor. the spacing of the blades, a headembracinglsaid'initerlockingshank ends, and, a shank embracingY said head` and rotatingr `free in a planetransverse to the axis oi vsaid shank ends. IV y 1Q. An obstetricalforceps shaving a. pairof bladesand Shanks connected'togethenwith a'unigversal joint capable` of.Y applying a turning force to the blades at various angular positions oith'e Shank', Said blades being both-adiustabletrans.- versely 0f the Shanks without altering their-,re1- atve. ahgulariiy. i i w zov , 11- Ahhhsireticalforceps.Qompsineapamof wearable. handle members eachhavihgra semi.-

lillarlyislithd ehdhlades having, interlocking 'heini-spherical rgtatablvimohnted said '15 handle members, and pivots engaging said slotted ends thereby forming a split universal joint capable of transferring a torsional turning force to the` blades irrespective of the angular position to which the handles may be swung.

12. An obstetrical forceps `having Vseparable handle' sections presenting a part spherically Walled socket therebetween, a spherical member universally adjustable in said socket, and blade members having shank ends extending into said spherical memberrespectively from oppositesides thereof and adjustably retained therein.

13. An obstetrical forcepsv having a handle shank and a member mounted in the handle shank for universal swinging adjustment relative theretma pair of blade members each individually slidably adjustable relative to said member and to each other toV permit a balanced spacing of theblades, and means for locking said blades in adjusted positions.

14..An obstetrical forceps having a handle shank and a member mounted in the handle shank for universal swinging adjustment relative thereto, a blade member slidably mounted in said member, a second blade member slidably mounted in said member parallel to the other member, whereby the blades are adjustably spaced Without altering their relative angular relation, and means for locking said blades together in their adjusted relation.

JOHNV MANN. 

